Hurt Him
by Microfatcat
Summary: Severus says some last words of wisdom to Draco. Then Harry encounters Draco for the first time after HBP. A [hopefully!] included moment during DH. For now it's a missing moment. Warnings: swearing, mild violence
1. You've Sold Your Soul

Disclaimer: not mine. Yada yada. Doesn't stop me wishing on a star, though!

A/N: Well, I'm on a roll. Third in one week! This is set during Deathly Hallows, and hopefully something like this might appear.

Inspiration came to me in the middle of my History coursework. Of course, I immediately dropped what I was doing and wrote this.

Hope you like!

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**You've Sold Your Soul**

Hot tears streamed down Draco's face.

"Surely, you must know that Draco. My time is up and it's far too late to back out. You took the Mark. I warned you and you did not heed-"

"You can't be dying! You're all I have!"

"You don't have to be alone, Draco. I was hardly a companion for you. I bought more time by begging Albus and joining the Order. I died inside the moment I took the mark - I tried to warn you before it was too late – but you wouldn't listen to me-"

"_No!!"_

Severus' voice took on a note of urgency. "Draco listen to me – _listen to me – _you _must_ get out of here! You must find Professor McGonagall, Potter, _any_ damned Weasley apart from Percy, anyone that you know works for the light! And dear Merlin, beg if you must – which you must – for mercy. It is the only reprieve you will find, anywhere else in the world from what you have undertaken-"

Draco was hanging onto his last words, his life instructions and a dead man's wishes all gasped to him in two short minutes.

"-I was like you and I made the worst mistake _ever_ to be mistaken – but I realised my mistake before it was too far gone. I may not have a conscience or a soul, and it is definitely too late to save my own skin, but for Merlin's sake save yourself! You've sold your soul to the devil, now all you can do it make use of it.

Become a member of the Order of the Phoenix, Draco, spy for the light! It is the only way you will ever, ever, sleep at night. The only solace you will find is in the Order – to prove to yourself that you are not a slave-"

Sweat was pouring down Severus' face.

Severus' eyes half closed. He took a shallow gasp- "And – and –"Severus faltered-

"No! Don't go!" Draco was frantic – he needed more instructions from his Mentor – how could he survive without him?

"Take an Unbreakable Vow if need be…"

Stabbing pains went down Severus' left arm…

"Do…. What – is right… "

Then his eyes became glassy and unfocused and it was then, Draco knew, that he didn't have to go at the game of life alone – he'd have to approach the Order. With an Unbreakable Vow. It was the only way he could save himself.

After all, he realised after making sure his Professor and lifelong friend was well and truly gone – it saved Severus.

Severus was the bravest person he'd ever meet, he thought, as he sprinted away. Much more so than _Potter_ would ever be.

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A review a day keeps the doctor away. It also makes me smile. Any kind of review is appreciated, it just shows you aren't apathetic. 


	2. Hurt Him

Disclaimer: not mine. I doubt even the plot is mine, as it is bound to happen in Deathly Hallows.

_Italics are thoughts. I hope it's obvious who the thought belongs to. _

Hope you like!

A/N: Now you may recognise this. This is because it used to be a oneshot on its own, but I wrote a prologue. Please read that one first. I hope it fits in!

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**Hurt Him**

_Hurt him._

"It's your entire fault the Malfoys are all in their graves!"

_A well-aimed punch to the jaw._

"If you weren't born this would never have happened!"

_Punch._

Harry pinned Draco to the wall. Harry's hands shook.

_It wasn't meant to go like this!_

"Why the _fuck_ aren't you fighting back?"

Draco's wretched face looked down into his. His dishevelled hair rivalled Harry's. He tried to slide down to the ground.

"Well?"

Harry felt like screaming. Malfoy had changed. He definitely wasn't his usual pompous self. May he was ill? He didn't like not knowing what had happened to this suave man who was always up for a fight.

What had happened to him? Come to think of it, he had injuries Harry knew he hadn't gifted him with. Where did that gash on his cheek come from?

Draco's dull grey eyes were full of remorse and self-hatred.

Finally, the Slytherin spoke. "_Kill me and be done with it!"_ He roared, specks of spit flying from his mouth. He looked helpless, vulnerable.

Harry's wand faltered. He wasn't expecting this. There should be a clean fight. Maybe duelling, perhaps. Harry would end up Disarming Malfoy, then having him at his mercy. He had been hoping to come across him ever since the end of that fateful sixth year at Hogwarts.

Everything was going wrong. It was all Malfoy's fault.

Harry felt confused; forlorn. Some strange feeling was growing in his chest.

His mood swung. He was infuriating him on purpose!

"Why?" He managed to croak out spontaneously

No answer.

"Why?"

Their rugged breathing was the only sound present in the dark alley.

"_Why?"_ Harry whispered, his voice full of venom, shaking him by the scruff of his neck.

Draco understood the unfinished question.

He stared deep into Harry's green eyes.

"It's been my life, Potter. I was_ raised _to be a Death Eater."

"Keep telling yourself that! You're deluded. I almost felt sorry for you the night I saw you take the Dark Mark. Then I remembered it was all your own doing, and that you deserved _everything_ you got."

Noticing Draco's startled look, Harry chuckled. It was void of mirth.

"No, Malfoy. I wasn't there. Don't worry your pretty head about it. I saw it all, all of it, every moment, in a vision. I saw you _scream_ in agony the moment you were branded!"

Harry's breath clouded in front of him in the cold.

"And I've still to find out why the hell you would do that to yourself? Did you think submitting to that beast was _righteous_?"

Silence.

"Why _Riddle_?"

Draco had been asking himself that very question, every time he woke up and every time he went to sleep. Often during the waking hours, too. Day in, day out. He was going mad. He was screwed, that was for sure.

He realised an answer was expected of him. He shrugged half-heartedly.

_Potter will probably kill what's left of me anyway. He might as well be quick about it. There's nothing left to live for anyway._

_Oh, Potter isn't finished yet._

"You _hypocrite_! You _bow_ to a half-blood! You _kiss_ the _hem_ of a half-blood every goddamn time you see that monster! And you have the nerve to call me filthy? Hermione filthy? _Ron_ filthy?"

Yes, finding out the Dark Lord was a half-blood was a nasty shock to him when Severus told him a month ago.

Draco croaked out, "I don't know when everything went wrong…" He was ill. Confused. Far too hot in this winter weather.

"I do! When we met for the second time at Hogwarts! I was a forgiving boy back then, Malfoy. You just had to screw _everything_ up, didn't you?"

_Yes. And I'm sorry._

"What happens now? Are you going to kill me?"

_Get it over with. Get it over with. Get it over with._

He was startled by a fleeting surprised look that passed over Harry's face.

Harry considered his options. He could let him go. No, that was out of the question. He'd probably get him in the back the moment he turned around. He could kill him. Again, that was out of the question. He already had Cedric's and Sirius' blood on his hands, he didn't need any more! He could take him to the Order… To be questioned, of course. He'd never forgive Malfoy.

At least, not yet. In this lifetime.

"No, I won't kill you," Harry said resignedly. The wretched man was shivering. He could always warm him up and _then_ question him. Then he could feed him to Buckbeak.

"Should've known. You're too noble for your own good."

"I know."

"It's not fair."

"No."

He let go of Draco and pulled out his wand. A thing he should have done five minutes ago.

"It isn't."

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If you like this, please review. If you don't, please review anyway.

This is my third, so third time lucky :)


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